Reuben Simmons Speech In Reaction To Behavior At Support The Beacon PD Rally In July

During the 8th March to support Black lives mattering more, many speakers spoke at a soundstage down at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park on July 25, 2020. This protest was organized by Next Step Hudson Valley and Ali T. Muhammad, a former council member in Beacon for Ward 2, and a local community organizer that has been working to bring the sister-cities of Dutchess and Orange Counties together for this movement and improved way of life.

Both of their speeches are below. Transcription by Yvonne DeMoss.

INTRODUCTION: Ali T. Muhammad’s Introduction for Reuben Simmons

Ali T. Muhammad
Photo Credit: Ali T. Muhammad

“You're hearing it. You're hearing it from our people, from around the county, from the area that are involved, that are involved in so many different facets that are needed.

”Something that Matty and his family and Club Draw were working on, based off of a lot of discussions that we've had. Based off of experience. Experiences in these communities. Things that we got to think about with, why Black lives matter.

”American music is Black music. Privilege is thinking something is not a problem when it's not a problem to you, personally. Systemic racism is real. Teach your child early what you learned late. Racism is a public health crisis. Racial justice is a feminist issue. Black trans lives matter. Decolonize education. Decolonize health care.

”I heard “Decolonize wellness.” That was fire. I never heard that before. That's a good one. Uproot systemic racism. Uproot white supremacy from your personal life. Uproot white supremacy from your personal life.

”Systemic oppression is not broke, a broken system. You cannot fix a system that works exactly as it was intended. We need to rebuild our systems to serve the people. Standing up for your fellow Americans is the act of a true patriot.

”Amplify Black voices. Racism is so American that when you protest it, people think you are protesting America. “Radical means grasping at the root.” Angela Davis. “Walls turned sideways are bridges.” Angela Davis. “I can't believe what you say because I see what you do.” James Baldwin, Newburgh native. Freedom is not a state. It is an act.” John Lewis.

”I say this to say we need to create opportunities like this so that way we could educate more. I mean with memes and social media, there's ways to reach more people. These are these ideas are not solely to one person like Anusha said. “Decolonize wellness.” There's so many areas that we need to work in and again that's why we're here.

”The next person that I'm going to call up is Reuben Simmons, Someone I've been working with and I've been close with for years. He works for the City of Beacon and he has a story to share, but most importantly solutions for what's next. Reuben.

”Again, we have water straight ahead. We've got some snacks if somebody needs food or needs something, please reach out. We can get you something delivered or ordered because I don't know if everybody likes pizza or not. But if you do need something, really come over, okay. Reuben Simmons.”

SPEECH: Reuben Simmons

Reuben Simmons
Photo Credit: Reuben Simmons

“Good afternoon, like Ali said, my name is Reuben Simmons but I'm also known in this community as Coach Yogi. I work in the city. I work in the city of Beacon Highway Department. I was born and raised in the city [of Beacon]. I was born in the hospital before it closed in ’84, Highland Hospital off of Delavan Avenue. I lived in the city my whole time.

”Anybody from Beacon here? Make some noise if you're from Beacon, if you live in Beacon, if you do anything in Beacon, if you came to support Beacon, you came from out of town, you make some noise! I'm gonna touch on the importance of both of those reasons, I will be remiss if I don't thank the organizers of Beacon 4 Black Lives.

”I want to publicly thank Ciarda Hall, Stefon Stewart, Xavier Mayo, Cedric Parksdale, and Justice McCray. If it wasn't for the momentum that they built with the Black lives movement and the protests that they've been doing in the city, I'll tell you right now. I wouldn't be standing here, today.

”People call me a community leader. My response? Leader? I'm no leader. ‘I do what I have to do and sometimes people follow.’ Edgar Friendly. Those young adults motivated me and I seen something in em’ that I seen when I was younger and people identified me as a leader so I thank them.

”This is the 8th protest in this city. No looting, no rioting, and nothing negative. All peaceful. Give them a round of applause. Anybody there last Sunday and Beacon up on 9D? Well, we're going to talk about that because we're going to talk about why it's so important.

”Last Sunday, there was a Support the Police campaign rally. We're seeing all over the nation all over the country that these rallies are dividing communities. We brought our stance to their rally. They haven't hijacked or counter protested any of our protests. The goal wasn't to counter protest them. The goal was to let them know we got issues here and we want to make sure that we come to the table and you hear our issues. Word spread out.

”There's people from Beacon and support just like you guys here from out of town so automatically we cannot, we cannot control the social media. (train whistle blows) That's one reason Beacon’s so popular, the train to the city, we cannot control the narratives that are going to be written all over Facebook. But what I saw on Saturday, last Saturday in Pleasant Valley. Did you guys see that? That is ugly for any community. That will not help move things forward.

”Sunday, I participated in a demonstration that showed you can support the police. You can counter protest and support Black Lives Matter and the demonstration can be done peacefully because that is your constitutional right to stand for what you believe in and we demonstrated it last Sunday here in the city of Beacon. For some people may not know some good things came out of that.

”I'm gonna tell you right now, people, that I've seen that seen me grow up in the city as a child, some white people they're uncomfortable right now. They're upset, they're confused, they're saying "Yogi we know you. What were you doing on the other side?" My reply is there is no other side. This is one Beacon and subconsciously you don't understand what we said, what we mean when we say Black lives matter and you need to know and if we have to go to war, know where I'll be if you try to divide this community.”

“I’m gonna tell you right now, people, that I’ve seen that seen me grow up in the city as a child, some white people they’re uncomfortable right now. They’re upset, they’re confused, they’re saying “Yogi we know you. What were you doing on the other side?” My reply is there is no other side. This is one Beacon.”

— Reuben Simmons

[Editor’s Note: For reference, back during the moving of the bench controversy, former Mayor Randy Casale spoke out for the first time since his term as mayor. He was emotional during discussions of moving the bench that was a dedication to his stepson. In voicing his disagreement, he used language like “I will divide this city if they move the bench,” in his social media, and in the original 3hr recording of a podcast on “Wait, What Is That?”]

”There's going to be another shout out I want to give. We went from one end of the city all the way to the river side of the city. You've seen all the police officers out there. The police department's union has told me, has confirmed with me that they want to sit at the table with us to address the issues moving forward. So I want to applaud them for helping us protest peacefully and I want to applaud them for being the big people to understand that they want to sit with us and hear what we have to say, and that is done by Justice McCray.

”Pleasant Valley is-was very ugly. It was very dangerous. What I didn't know last Sunday, where some people went to Pleasant Valley Saturday, those same people came to support us in Beacon on Sunday and I want to apologize to them, because yes I do move militant like Malcolm. My goal is to, to increase peace like Martin, so sometimes I come off with no compassion. So if there's anybody that felt disrespected by me on Sunday, I apologize.

”But at no time did I ever felt you were in danger in my city cause I'm gonna tell you right now: My mother was out there. My sisters were out there. My uncle was out there standing on the other side of the street. He came over across the street for conversation. So if my family's out there, I wanna make sure nothing happens to them. So please believe nothing's gonna happen to you.

”The police were out there. You seen the way the police respect what we're doing here. That's what we need in every community. Pleasant Valley, I don't even know if they have a police department. They're patrolled by state troopers. They're patrolled by county sheriffs. And yes, you could give a boo to the county sheriffs. That's a big reason why I believe we need to start in cities, because cities have their own police department.

”The City of Newburgh has a police department. The City of Poughkeepsie has a police department, and we see them at our community events. When you guys are out there, the people at the counter protest last Saturday, last Sunday in Beacon. The police that you see, I see them all the time. When you guys are in your community, you guys see these people all the time. Let's make sure we're having that conversation and we're bridging the gap. That was a goal of ours last Sunday when we went up for the counter protest.

”Yes I know, that's what it looks like on the optics. I'm not trying to control optics, I'm trying to move this city forward and if we could create a blueprint I would be happy. I would be honored to stand with you guys in your community and see how we could address things forward because you need your local elected leadership which right now, did you see any of them here? I want to give a shout out to them, that's why I want to make sure.

”You need your local elected officials, you need police representation and if they're in a union you need that union representation and you need the Black community. You need to support the police community, and that's a table that we're currently building right now in the city of Beacon. And I'm proud of everyone who's doing the work and I just want to applaud them and I just want to let you guys know, thank you for the support and I think what we're doing here, we could do in many other communities, but it's going to take you as the individual.

”I'm going to wrap it up because I know we're going to move into breakout sessions. Aliyah that has asked me to stand in for, uh, on, on employment. I work in the city of Beacon. I work in the Highway Department. I work my way up. I share the story with anybody who wants to come to the area I'll be at, I'll probably be over here, um, we'll talk about Civil Service Law. We'll talk about application processes. We're talking about how people get hired, how people don't get hired. School districts. Public, um, police departments, things like, things of that nature.

”Once again I just want to thank everybody. I think we're doing good work to move things forward and I want to thank you guys for allowing me to speak. Once again, my name is Ruben Simmons, they call me Coach Yogi.”

Watch The Speech In The Video

This speech has been transcribed from the video below. Hear it in Ali’s and Reuben’s words by pressing Play.

Beacon's Mayor Lee Kyriacou Speaks At Protest; Is Interrupted By Young Adults Rejecting Police Union's Letter; Young Beaconites Share Their Stories Of Abuse

Mayor Lee Kyriacou is speaking during the 3rd protest march on Beacon that happened on June 6, 2020. As he reads the letter issued by Beacon’s Police Union, the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association, he is interrupted by young adults who reject the letter. The contents of the letter, which condemn the killing of George Floyd, prompt several people who are black, brown, or a person of color, to come forward and share their stories of abuse and assault from the Beacon police.

What follows below is the beginning of the Mayor’s speech, and shared stories at the microphone that follow.

To bring this story out of the video and into words for more to access, A Little Beacon Blog has transcribed this story as best we can, as close to the spoken word as possible. To give you context, we indicate where different actions took place, like applause or movement. We highly encourage you to watch this spoken in the video, so that you can feel the moment and the words and remember it forever as it helps you make future decisions. You can listen and watch this story in our Instagram here.

If we made a typo in your words, please let us know and we will correct it promptly.

BEGIN
Mayor Lee Kyriacou + Young Adults In Response

Hi everybody. I’m the new mayor. I got in January 1. Little did I know I’d have a health crisis and then you have this here.

Let me read two other things, I’ll be brief in all of them. One I’m reading for the County Executive Marc Molinaro. He and I share a special bond in that we both have children with autism. He could not be here. He led the march in Poughkeepsie. And he wrote “Once again our nation’s soul has been cracked open wide by the senseless and heinous killing of George Floyd. This inhumane act has revealed once again that America’s fundamental promise that all men are created equal is a promise yet fulfilled. It is heartbreaking that his final… (this part is unintelligible) … and true equality and universal application of rights has not been achieved. We can and we must do better.”

So that’s his piece. I won’t read it all. Know that we have his support.

This one is a letter from Beacon’s Police Union, and again I won’t read it all. “To our community, friends in Beacon. Since the unconscionable murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officers last week, we, the members of the Beacon PBA (that’s the union) have been struggling to find the words to express our emotions. It should not have to be said but absolutely needs to be said that each and every member of the Beacon PBA condemns the murder of Mr. Floyd and the actions by all four of the involved officers in Minneapolis. As police officers, we take our oath seriously to protect, and serve each and every one of you and your constitutional rights regardless of race, gender, religion, political party, sexual preference or age.”

It goes on, “We stand tall and strong with you to protect your right to express your voices, and causes in a peaceful and safe setting.” And I think they did their job today.

Finally some words from me. The reason…

Hang on. I’m sorry?

(Interruption)

NEW SPEAKER ENTERS

Something’s not sitting right with me today. Hasn’t been sitting right with me yesterday. That’s why I haven’t spoke today. And I’m sorry to interrupt you Mr. Mayor, but that letter from the Beacon Police was bullshit.

Come on! Come on! I understand that you have to read this from the police, but I can’t listen to something that’s not true. And I’ve been scared to speak today cause I don’t wanna be a target and I need y’all to be here behind me. (audience member calls out)

They can’t be here ‘cause they’d be too uncomfortable to be here, I promise you that.

I met this woman today. Her son was shot in 2006 by the Beacon police. For no reason, for no reason he was shot in his stomach. Targeted shot in his stomach, in his arm, in his back. She told me he went to prison. I said “Who went to prison? The cop?” NO, her son’s in prison.
[UPDATE: The Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (the Union) has issued a statement in response to story, which you can read here.]

Why? Why?

And where is that cop today? He’s not working for Beacon Police and that’s fine, but he’s in Rockland County now. He’s still a cop. He’s still out here. And let’s talk about it. Let’s talk about it.

Let’s talk about the cop who pulled me and my ex-boyfriend over a few years ago and took him to jail and left me in the middle of the street with no thought and no reason. 2 o’clock in the morning, left me there for no reason. So what’d I do? I found that ticket. I looked up his name, right, and last night I found that in 2009 there’s a lawsuit. In 2009 he arrested somebody outside of Dunkin’. Arrested him, tased him, beat him, and let the dog bite him. And he’s still working for Beacon! WHY?

(Audience screaming support, etc)

I’m sorry. (Mayor tries speaking…)

Okay, so let’s talk about it even further. When I looked at that thing I was reading last night, there was two other cops names on there that also were involved. Also didn’t give a fuck and also did the same thing. Let’s talk about how this cop came up to me today and asked to take a picture with me and said: “You know, like, I’m here to help whatever” and I look at his name tag and it was the same name I seen on the thing I read last night.

Let’s talk about it. Why are you here? Why are you here? Uggghhhhhh.

“I don’t wanna disrespect the Mayor, but I wanna let him know it’s time to take action and you gotta, you gotta look and you gotta open your eyes. (Crowd cheers)

You might not be able to feel my personal pain, you might not be able to feel all our personal pain, but you’re not deaf. You’re not blind. You can see what’s going on, and you’re the one. You can take power, you can take control of this. ”

— Young Adult Protester

I wanna say his name so bad. But can you believe I’m actually scared? Can you believe that I’m actually scared someone come down to my house and hurt my family if I say his name. That shouldn’t have to be! … watching my house at night. I don’t know what’s gonna happen at night. I don’t know what’s gonna happen to me in five months from now if I say this person’s name, but I will sit down and I will sit down in the office and I will make sure they don’t have their jobs no more and you will go back to working at the bank! Just so you know who I’m talking about, you will go back to working at the bank!

And not just that. Let’s talk about every person who’s been harassed by the Beacon police. Let’s talk about it. We got my brothers right here next to me, all harassed by the police every day. (Audience calling back about their own harassment.)

“Put your fist up if you can hear her?” (FISTS GO UP)

Yes, and I don’t wanna disrespect the Mayor, but I wanna let him know it’s time to take action and you gotta, you gotta look and you gotta open your eyes. (Crowd cheers)

You might not be able to feel my personal pain, you might not be able to feel all our personal pain, but you’re not deaf. You’re not blind. You can see what’s going on, and you’re the one. You can take power, you can take control of this.

Systems fucked, y’all. it’s fucked up. This country is fucked up. This country is so fucked up. We gotta do something. We gotta do something for our small town, regardless, this is a small part of a big world and we gotta start somewhere.

NEXT SPEAKER

Mr. Mayor, your entire city is with us in solidarity. We do not want to hear a letter from the cops talking about how they stand with us. Where are they? Are they here? NO. They’re waiting for someone to act up so they can do what they always do.

Mr. Mayor, what are you doing for us? Your whole city is here talking to you. What are you gonna do for us? What are you gonna change. How are you gonna hold the police department accountable? How are you gonna make sure this does not happen in our city ever again? I don’t want no letter!

MAYOR LEE KYRIACOU:

Wow. Let me start with a historical note. What I wanted to say, that someone said that what we need now is action and change. I agree. I think what we need now is a resolve and progress, and I want to offer you three quotes.

Just a moment, I do need the opportunity to speak. (person in crowd yells “we can’t hear you!”)

Let me start with a historical note. Those who have been here long enough recall that as a City Councilman, almost two decades ago, I had to challenge at first alone, but eventually with the unanimous council agreement, and despite repeated lawsuits leveled against me personally, and the rest of the city, I had to challenge the leadership and the practices of our police department. This was in the 2000s, not in the 2020, which led to Justice Department oversight, change of leadership, departure of certain officers, and the gradual transition to a professional and more community oriented police department.

That was in the last 15 years. That doesn’t mean we don’t have progress to do. But I’ve been taken on this battle and when I started it, I was alone on the Council, alright?

And to say that there is nothing to be done now is wrong. But to say that there has been no past of progress is also wrong. So let me just offer you that history. We have work to do. So I ran [for Mayor] in part to make change, and I hear you. Right? I look forward - (interruption)

Let me offer a couple of quotes. One, of course, (interruption…mention of the next public City Council meeting at which the Chief of Police was going to be attending, which he did) well you’d be better if you dialed in but there is some room for public, uh, in person. Everyone can dial in and there’ll be opportunity for input and we will have that dialogue and input.

Let me offer a quote from Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist orator who spoke here in Beacon at the Dutch Reform Church that we walked past. This quote was on my wall as a graduate student and an undergrad. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. We will have to struggle. If we want progress, there will be struggle. How that struggle occurs…

(audience member yells: “if you really believed it put the paper down and speak from the heart!”)

(audience cheers)

I’m sorry, I wrote my heart on this sheet of paper, alright? I wrote my heart on this sheet of paper. Uh, how we should do it, I look to Ghandi. Ghandi said “Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind.” And finally I have a quote from King, and King said and offered us hope. And this is President Obama’s favorite quote from King. “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.”

We have work to do, we have to make resolve here, and we have to make progress. Thank you.

FIRST SPEAKER

I didn’t wanna pull a Kanye west right here but I almost had to. Um, that…I don’t have any fuckin’ words. Let’s go.

NEXT SPEAKER

How y’all doin’? This guy, that this, the Mayor, our Mayor, what he just said about the Beacon police is not true. They don’t mean nothing they say, don’t mean nothing they say.

I used to go to school in Albany. When I came home, I worked for the city of Beacon. And we came down here [to Riverfront Park] one day. We had to cut the grass. I parked the truck next to a water fountain and I hit, I tapped the water fountain.

So our job is to report back to the boss, and they, they write it up, they tell the cops and they file a police report. So the cop called my boss and told me I had to come back down here. I came back down to the riverfront. The cop slammed me on the car and arrested me and told me I did a hit and run. If I work for the City of Beacon, and I hit city property, I did a hit and run on my own property? They brought me down to the station and chained me to the wall for like an hour. Fuck what the Beacon police gotta say.

NEXT SPEAKER

By show of hands, how many people here have been harassed or beaten by the Beacon police? Put your fists up. Someone, you know somebody, you’ve seen a video of it.

FORMER SPEAKER

If you’ve been harassed, let’s take everyone who’s been harassed step at the front. (Interruption)

Everyone who’s been harassed by the Beacon police, if you’re still left here, I know a lot of people left because they couldn’t even bear listen to the bullshit anymore. I’m ready to leave my damn self but we gon’ stand up.

NEXT SPEAKER

I’m…I’m so humbled to stand up with all of you today, to fight for what you actually believe in. I had no idea what it’s like. But I refuse to let my kids grow up because (words are unintelligible) scared still. So I wanna know how many people does it take to get an Accountability Bill against the police? Is there a way to get insurance so that it stops coming from their pockets and comes from the people doing the damage instead? Is there a way to make that happen now, instead of putting it off, putting it off, and putting it off and we have to keep having protests to fight for it? And I say this with all due respect because I know you are a man of authority but I need you to act as a man for all of the people.

NEXT SPEAKER
Chris

Hey what’s up everyone. My name is Chris. Let me talk about my experience. So back in 2009, probably like in the beginning of August, me and two other gentlemen got arrested over in front of Citizen’s Bank on Main Street. Now we got arrested because I guess we were hanging out in the back of the building and some, we were there kinda late, too, kinda like 10:30/11pm, and I guess there was a lady who was still in the bank and they called the cops.

The cops came, you know, chased us over by the gas station which is now known as Valero. And they arrested us, it was two Hispanic cops. So pretty much, the other guy arrested with me was Black and the other one was Hispanic, both of them close friends of mine. So pretty much, the cop came, and while we were running, he hopped in the car and said “freeze before I tase you.”

So we all stopped, he handcuffed us against the wall. They asked us what we were doing behind the bank. Pretty much I told him we were hanging out. We were 17 years old. We just didn’t happen to be 18. Another friend of mine was 17, his birthday was…he was actually gonna be 18 at 12 o’clock am, right before they arrested us.

So while he was questioning us, he told me since he didn’t like what I had to say, he told me that he was gonna take me to the back of the building and beat the shit out of me. And then he talked to my other friend who was Hispanic in Spanish, and I don’t know what he said to him but he let him go, and he kept me and the other dude and he was Black. And they waited until 12 o’clock, until he was able to turn 18 so they could put it on his record. And they arrested him. (Person in crowd yells)

Yeah. So uh, I had other experiences too, but I could say that letter was bullshit as well, you know, so.

NEXT SPEAKER

“And I shouldn’t be scared. I shouldn’t be scared to have my kids go out in public to ride around in a car, even go out and hang out with their friends and walk around. But, but, I just wanna say it traumatized me for a long time and kinda I felt bad to let it, you know, I kinda, I don’t wanna say let it go, but I put it in the back of my head and i thought, you know. ”

Yes. Imma talk loud so everybody can hear me. I was born in Poughkeepsie, but raised in Beacon. From 3 years old until I say about 21 years old. I was maced, doused in mace, in the face 7 months pregnant with my son. Not my younger son. I have two boys, a 16 year old and I have a 12 year old. (Person yells)

Because they were beating the shit out of the person I was with at the time and I refused to sit back and watch it. And as I was about to reach over and grab the officer from the back, he turned around, doused me in mace, threw me to the ground, clearly 7 months pregnant, so it wasn’t like you couldn’t tell. Thrown to the ground.

When my son was born, six months after, he had breathing problems. None of my family members wanted to watch him because they were scared. At the time, I was 19 years old. I wasn’t thinking about a lawsuit, or justice served, anything like that. So to see this right now, this is close to my heart and this is beautiful. This is beautiful to see.

So, so, I had two boys…I gotta really fear like with my kids like this lady said earlier when they get their first car they’re just getting pulled over for a routine traffic stop. And that what it was that time, it was a routine traffic stop. He happened to be driving without a license. And the cops, these two cops, that was just mentioned, I don’t know where they are, don’t, Imma say their name, Patro (?) And Paul Pillio (?) was both, and they were both around and I don’t know what happened to them, I’m scared as hell to even say the names which is, is, is sad but it is what it is.

And I shouldn’t be scared. I shouldn’t be scared to have my kids go out in public to ride around in a car, even go out and hang out with their friends and walk around. But, but, I just wanna say it traumatized me for a long time and kinda I felt bad to let it, you know, I kinda, I don’t wanna say let it go, but I put it in the back of my head and i thought, you know.

It just brought out a lot of memories with this shit happening. And it’s just, I don’t have…I do wanna say that love outweighs hate. So thank you, guys.

NO Justice, NO Peace! No Racist Police! No Racist Police! No Racist Police!

Frantz Dumel Speaks Out: "George's Mother Was Summoned; To All Mothers In The Nation. Now If You’re A Mother That Heard That Loud And Clear, Say Hell Yeah!"

Frantz Dumel speaking out at a Black Lives Matter protest in Beacon on June 6, 2020.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

This speaker is sharing during the 3rd protest march on Beacon that happened on June 6, 2020. The march started at Pohill Park, wound all the way down Wolcott, taking a right toward the river, over the bridge above the train track, and ending at the land stage at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park.

To bring this story out of the video and into words for more to access, A Little Beacon Blog has transcribed this story as best we can, as close to the spoken word as possible. To give you context, we indicate where different actions took place, like applause or movement. We highly encourage you to watch this spoken in the video, so that you can feel the moment and the words and remember it forever as it helps you make future decisions. You can listen and watch this story in our Instagram here.

BEGIN
Frantz Dumel
Uncle of one of the organizers, Stefon Seward.

Clap it up for the people who went before me. Clap it up for the gentlemen who just left the stage. Clap it up for the sister who talked before me, very powerful sister. Now my name is Franz Dumel (crowd source name spelling needed), I’m from neighboring Rockland County and I am so proud of my neighbors in Middletown, my neighbors in Beacon, my neighbors in Duchess County as a whole - you guys have made me proud. Clap it up for yourselves, please.

Now cameramen, cameramen, help me out here, because you guys prove them wrong. They said, “Frantz don’t waste your time going further north. The further north you go, the less they care about justice for all.”

Now if they were completely wrong, and if that isn’t true, say HELL NO (Crowd yells “Hell no!”).

If that wasn’t true say, Hell No! (Hell no!).)

“As George was facing death, and death was approaching he called out for his mother. I read a post over the week that said, his mother was summoned, to all mothers in the nation. Now if you’re a mother that heard that loud and clear, say hell yeah! (Hell yea!). Repeat after me. I (I) heard you! (Heard you) Justice (Justice) is coming! (Is coming!).”

— Frantz Dumel

Alright, so we’re gonna prove them wrong. Cameramen here, help me out. Everybody in here, we gonna, we gonna expose the true energy of Beacon to the world. Every sign out here up in the air for me, please. Stefon, one of the organizers. Can we crack it up for the organizers, you guys? Stefon, lead us in the chant so the world can see what Beacon is about.

(Crowd chants: “No Justice! No Peace! No Racist Police! Say His Name: George Floyd!”)

Beautiful, thank you guys. Now Beacon shouldn’t be no different from any other town or city in the world that won’t stand for a man being handcuffed, basically hog tied, suffocated, tortured. So his body was lifeless. If Beacon never stands for that say HELL NO (Hell no!).

As George was facing death, and death was approaching he called out for his mother. I read a post over the week that said, his mother was summoned, to all mothers in the nation. Now if you’re a mother that heard that loud and clear, say Hell Yeah! (Hell Yeah!).

Repeat after me.

I (I)

Heard you! (Heard you)

Justice (Justice)

Is coming! (Is coming!).

“Now George Floyd’s mom was a single mother, which means she probably played the role of both father and mother and the community probably played the rest of the role as far as guidance is concerned. So together, as a community, mothers, fathers, repeat after me! I (I) Heard you! (Heard you!) Justice (justice) Is coming (is coming).”

— Frantz Drumel

Now George Floyd’s mom was a single mother, which means she probably played the role of both father and mother and the community probably played the rest of the role as far as guidance is concerned. So together, as a community, mothers, fathers, repeat after me! I (I) Heard you! (Heard you!) Justice (Justice) Is coming (is Coming).

Now, if you watch the news, social media, they will make you think this is white vs, black. They’ll make you think this is police vs. the people. If that’s not the case, say Hell No! (Hell No!)

Now, if that notion is starting to seep into your conscious, don’t let it, my people. Do not let hate metastasize like cancer and spread before it’s too late. If you won’t let that happen, say Hell No! (Hell no!) This is not about the people vs. police, or white vs. black. This is good vs. evil, and I for one think the good people outnumber evil by far. Now, he called out and it seems like the whole world heard his call.

“Do not let hate metastasize like cancer and spread before it’s too late. If you won’t let that happen, say Hell No! (Hell no!) This is not about the people vs. police, or white vs. black. This is good vs. evil, and I for one think the good people outnumber evil by far. Now, he called out and it seems like the whole world heard his call.”

— Frantz Drumel

Now this is a story that keeps playing over and over again. But for some reason, there’s something different this time. Do you guys feel it? (Yes)

There’s something different about this time. Almost as if George Floyd’s life was a sacrifice for real change. George Floyd’s life was a sacrifice to galvanize the people good, white, and Black combined. To fight for justice. If that’s what you’re here for say Hell Yeah! (Hell Yeah!)

My people change is coming. And this is not about the people vs. police, because as much as they want you to believe that’s what it’s about, it’s not. And if nobody has said it lately, to our good officers, we love you. If nobody has said it recently to our good officers, we love you. Because they protect and serve us every day. But in the same token, we call on you to push evilness out of your precinct. To push evilness out of your stations. To push wickedness out of your circles. we call on you to expose the intentions of the wicked and push them to the people to face judgement.

“if nobody has said it lately, to our good officers, we love you. If nobody has said it recently to our good officers, we love you. Because they protect and serve us every day. But in the same token, we call on you to push evilness out of your precinct.”

— Frantz Drumel

I call on the community at large to also shape this, after this incident here, in moving forward, to shape America into a place where all inhabitants encourage each other to do better, and not seek to judge. Seek to understand, ‘cuz only then will you have the vision to see what’s goin’ on and what’s broken and how we can fix it. Only then will you have the vision to stand side by side, no matter the color, and stand up for justice.

No justice! (No Peace!).

Here’s a new one. More Justice, More Peace! More Justice (More Peace!). More Justice (More Peace!)

My people of Beacon, you guys have proved me wrong.

I also thought that, “I don’t know what I’m walking into but I’m going anyway.” And I’ve walked into the energy of love. I had an epiphany the other day where I came to realize the real power of God is in numbers. The Bible says where more than one are praying, the presence of God is there. I think the presence of God is definitely here. Clap it up for yourselves Beacon.

Now I’m also calling on my young protestors to protest peacefully. Because one of the things that’s being used, is that Martin Luther King said “Riots are the voice of the unheard.” Which is true, so we understand. We understand the anger. But after the anger subsides, it has to be organized. And Dr. Martin Luther King also said, let me read it for you guys, that, “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only Love can do that.” Power to the people! Power to love and harmony! And one more time, let’s talk to George directly, repeat after me:

I (I)

Heard You (Heard You!).

Justice (Justice)

Is Coming (Is Coming!)

Justice (Justice)

Is coming (Is Coming!)

Justice (Justice)

Is Here (is Here!)

Thank you, my people.

Reuben Simmons Speaks Out On Racial Identification In Elementary School; Mixed Race; Seeing Racial Inequality From Within Beacon

This speaker is sharing during the 3rd protest march on Beacon that happened on June 6, 2020. The march started at Pohill Park, wound all the way down Wolcott, taking a right toward the river, over the bridge above the train track, and ending at the land stage at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park.

To bring this story out of the video and into words for more to access, A Little Beacon Blog has transcribed this story as best we can, as close to the spoken word as possible. To give you context, we indicate where different actions took place, like applause or movement. We highly encourage you to watch this spoken in the video, so that you can feel the moment and the words and remember it forever as it helps you make future decisions. You can listen and watch this story in our Instagram here.

BEGIN

Good afternoon, everybody.

Malcolm X said: “My accomplishments will outweigh all my personal and human weaknesses.” Please keep that in mind as I speak to you.

I feel obligated to share my story. My name is Reuben Simmons, known by most people in this community as Yogi. Coach Yogi. I coach Beacon Pop Warner. I coach Beacon Hoops. I see some of my players out here. I went to South Avenue, Rombout, and graduated from the OLD High School. I got my Associates degree from Dutchess Community College in Criminal Justice. I got my Bachelors Degree in Sociology from the Catholic University of America located in Washington DC.

I wanna thank the organizers for the protest on Monday and this protest today. Two peaceful protests that I’m proud to have in my city. I didn’t see pictures of looting or any broken windows or anything that caused any destruction.

I also wanna give a thanks to all the police officers. I see the City of Beacon, I see possibly state troopers, and I see also the Town of Fishkill. They helped block the roads for us to have that peaceful march and I know that we’re having this battle with the officers. It’s not all officers so I would like to thank them also.

I wanna share a story with you. Which means I’m gonna have to get real with you. Everything I announced, that all sounds good. I got kicked out of Beacon Hoops. I had a bad attitude. I went to Albany for a semester. Just like my brother Ali talked about. Albany wasn’t a place for people who came from Beacon. Beacon was a great place.

Beacon was so unique and I always say that. Albany taught me something that I was taught at South Avenue that I just didn’t know. I am mixed race. My mom is Italian-Irish and my dad is Black. South Avenue, they wanted to send me to a school called Beta, and I wanted to go. I fought every day. They said that’s what you can do at Beta. It was Mr. Vorbach (crowd sourced spell check needed), my principal. A white man. An older white man, who said: “He’s not goin’. And I was upset. I thank him.

In 1st grade, we had the school staff come in each classroom and count every kid by their race. Miss Kim Faison, she saunters in my classroom. Everybody feared Kim Faison…Great lady. She asked all the white kids to stand up. I go to stand up. But I’m halfway standing up. She looks at me and says “Not you.” She asked all the black kids to stand up, then she looks at me and said, “Now you.”

I didn’t pay attention to these two lessons in elementary school but it caught up to me when I went to Albany. I was walking with one of my best friends, a white guy. He was drinking a beer. I wasn’t into beer then, not drinking. Cops pull over. Tell us to stop. I ain’t doin’ nothin’. I keep walking. He’s talking to me and my friend. My friend tells the officer, “Oh officer, I apologize.” He said, “I’m not taking to you.” Grabs me by the back, puts a baton to me.

Now I knew I had something illegal in my pocket, so I knew I shoulda ran, but I wasn’t doing anything. Whatever, I’ll take the consequences. I get to the station. They asked me “What’s your name?” Reuben Simmons. “Where you from?” I’m from Beacon. “What’s your race?” I studied criminal justice. I knew white people get lesser charges. And I am white. I’m just as white as I am black. I’m white. That officer tells me, HE tells ME, “You’re either Black or Hispanic.” I said, ‘What does that mean?’ He said, “Don’t tell me you’re white.”

I grew up in a single parent household. My mother. How you gonna tell me I ain’t white, besides the fact that I’m labeled that way in society? In a community that I wasn’t even accepted in the black community. I wasn’t accepted in a white community. By the time I got to high school, I had to find my own lane. And it just so happens DMX dropped that same year, so, self explanatory. So I’m a let anyone who’s mixed race in here, in the eyes of the law, in the eyes of society, you ain’t white. You black. And that is wrong. That’s why I’m proud to be here today and see this mixture of races here today. Because I know different races go through it, and different religions go through it.

I started an organization called I AM BEACON. Today it’s a 501-c3 non-profit organization established in the state of New York. One of my biggest supporters is the Key Food grocery store. And they get the same thing because they’re Muslim. It hurts my heart to speak to you at this time because of the circumstances that brought us all together. People who did not have to die. But this will be an opportunity that I think that we should not fold or let stop. That’s why I keep thanking the organizers of this protest because they’re young. I was young. Relatively still am.

I was labeled a leader in the community and in a union. I was blackballed Colin Kaepernick’d out of my union because I’m young and I got my own mind and my own vision. Because older people wanna tell you what to do, when to do it and how to do it and that’s not gonna happen, not in the generation of the new millennium. So the only thing I wanna offer to the young is to share my experience, to share my story, and just together put everything in a collaborative effort.

“My parents, they were raised in the racial riots in this city. The 50s, 60s, and the race riots in 1970. If you were born and raised up in the mountains, you didn’t mess with the Blacks down in the city. As this city had started to grow, I started to see where the problem was. it wasn’t old Beacon and new Beacon. it was certain people in Beacon who were upset that they weren’t getting the way that they had for the last 10, 20, 30, 40 damn years. ”

— Reuben Simmons

I’m gonna wrap it up. I was born in Beacon before the hospital closed. I was raised in Beacon in the 80s and the 90s when nobody wanted to be IN Beacon. I worked for this city, so I see the racial inequality from within. I already told you I was a union leader. I served 18 months as a Superintendent in the Highway [Department]. Union management. And for the last 3 years, I’ve been taking on a personal battle that I’m not gonna give up on. Because it’s affecting me. I see it affecting other people. I wanted to stand up for other people but one thing you can’t do, you can’t fight for other people that don’t want to fight for themselves.

I’ve seen white workers bring guns into the workplace, knowing that we have racial tension and nothin’ get done. I seen white workers get upset about supervisor referring to the black workers as “the nigger” and they get transferred and put in another department to where they feel comfortable. I’ve been in meetings with the city, with 100% of the black workers there telling them their issues, and nothing getting done but more harassment, more retaliation, and more disciplines in their goddamn file.

I ain’t putting up with it no more. And as I look out in this crowd, if the support is there for what’s going on in this city, I’ll stand with you and I’ll stand with any organizers who’s willing to fight that battle.

Another thing I’m gonna take this opportunity to clear up: when I started I AM BEACON, there was all this hoopla on “Well I’m from Beacon because I’ve lived here.” “You’re not from Beacon, you’re from Brooklyn, you just moved here.” Understand my philosophy for I AM BEACON. The Why and the I is self accountability and self responsibility. I don’t care who you are, where you’re from, what you do, if you’re in this city, if you’re in this community, if you wanna volunteer, if you wanna get involved, I AM BEACON’s doors is open to you.

“There’s “Coffee With Cops,” there’s workshops. We wanna talk with cops. We wanna build a community relations. I’m glad that conversation is coming up because I was there 4 years ago. I AM BEACON had a separate committee called BEACON SPEAKS OUT when Trayvon Martin and the Ferguson rallies were going on. We did it. We sent the recommendations in to the police.

The #1: Community Policing. Get the out the goddamn car and start walking these streets. It barely happened. So no, I’m not interested in sitting down again. I’m a man of action. So if we’re gonna do it again, let’s just make sure our voices are really heard but that we hold them accountable. ”

— Reuben Simmons

Last 3 years, the fights that I’ve been having internally, it ain’t from people who just got to Beacon. Let me give you a little bit of history. I was born in the 80s and 90s. Hip hop culture. Sex money and drugs. My parents, they were raised in the racial riots in this city. The 50s, 60s, and the race riots in 1970. If you were born and raised up in the mountains, you didn’t mess with the Blacks down in the city.

As this city had started to grow, I started to see where the problem was. it wasn’t old Beacon and new Beacon. it was certain people in Beacon who were upset that they weren’t getting the way that they had for the last 10, 20, 30, 40 damn years. And I don’t see a different Beacon. I see a built up Beacon, but I don’t see a different Beacon. Maybe I changed with the times. There is no old Beacon, new Beacon. There’s only one Beacon. For the action steps. Mayor Lee Kyriacou is here today. Somewhere…there he is. Monday night, he’s gonna have a council workshop talking about police policies. Tune in. Give them recommendations.

If there’s one thing that is a must, it’s a must, especially if you think you’re gonna get down with I AM BEACON. It’s action. Don’t tell somebody else what they need to be doin’. Stand right there next to them and do it with them. Second, register to vote. There’s people here that are gonna help you with that. And I stress it because that night in Albany, I lost my right to vote. So I never thought I could vote. It wasn’t till I got involved with the union. It wasn’t until I educated myself. My first time voting wasn’t until 2009 because I came through a generation of ‘my vote don’t matter.’ Oh, now that I’ve got a criminal record, I can’t vote. So now that’s my scapegoat.

You can vote, as long as you ain’t on papers. I don’t care what your past is because I got the same past as some of you. So I’m the example. I can vote now, and I do. and don’t get me wrong, sometimes I put in a blank ballot but I’m showing up.

Three: I heard at the last protest and I’m sure I’m gonna hear it today. There’s “Coffee With Cops,” there’s workshops. We wanna talk with cops. We wanna build a community relations. I’m glad that conversation is coming up because I was there 4 years ago. I AM BEACON had a separate committee called BEACON SPEAKS OUT when Trayvon Martin and the Ferguson rallies were going on. We did it. We sent the recommendations in to the police.

“I’m a believer it starts on the local level. Once you have your foundation, you can build from there. Are you guys ready to build? (Crowd cheers) Are you guys ready to build? (Crowd cheers) I’ll stand for anybody who’s willing to put in the footwork. ”

— Reuben Simmons

The #1: Community Policing. Get the out the goddamn car and start walking these streets. It barely happened. So no, I’m not interested in sitting down again. I’m a man of action. So if we’re gonna do it again, let’s just make sure our voices are really heard but that we hold them accountable.

I’ve seen a lot. I’ve learned a lot. I went through the process. I’m willing to be a resource. As I look at the council, there are new faces that I’ve never seen before, that I’ve never talked to before. This will be that opportunity. ‘Cuz too many times people just pass judgement on what the hell they read on Facebook and that is bullshit. I know we come to a generation of social media and social gangsters and ‘say whatever you want and you don’t get touched.’ That wasn’t my era. That’s why people didn’t talk the way they talk in the 80s and 90s.

But I understand. We gotta grow from that. This is a different style, it’s a different fight. When I came into the union, my street mentality was like ‘yeah, I need the numbers. I slap you, you come out your face.’ You can’t do that in politics, are you crazy, kid? But the philosophy the same, ‘where’s your numbers at?’ Your right to vote - that’s your handgun. Goin’ to the polls is what’s pulling the trigger. But nobody wants to go to the polls because they wanna stay online for new iPhones and Jordans, c’mon man, ya gotta say with me on this.

(interruption)

I wanted to meet with the organizers in private. But I couldn’t let you guys leave without letting you know what’s going on. I’m a big believer we can make change. I’m a believer it starts on the local level. Once you have your foundation, you can build from there. Are you guys ready to build? (Crowd cheers) Are you guys ready to build? (Crowd cheers) I’ll stand for anybody who’s willing to put in the footwork. Thank you. Once again, my name is Reuben Simmons, they call me Yogi.

Speaker Speaking Out At Protest: "I Need Us To Tear Down These Walls Of Separation That Have Been Built In This Country For Almost 500 Years"

This speaker is sharing during the 3rd protest march on Beacon that happened on June 6, 2020. The march started at Pohill Park, wound all the way down Wolcott, taking a right toward the river, over the bridge above the train track, and ending at the land stage at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park.

To bring this story out of the video and into words for more to access, A Little Beacon Blog has transcribed this story as best we can, as close to the spoken word as possible. To give you context, we indicate where different actions took place, like applause or movement. We highly encourage you to watch this spoken in the video, so that you can feel the moment and the words and remember it forever as it helps you make future decisions. You can listen and watch this story in our Instagram here.

We do not know this person’s name. If this is you and you want to be identified, please let us know and we will add your name.

BEGIN

Hello Beacon! Hey Beacon!

First of all, I want to give honor to my ancestors, for walking with us today. Yes.

“My white brothers and sisters, and yes, I’m using the words “brothers and sisters.” The reason why is because I need us to tear down these walls of separation that have been built in this country for almost 500 years that causes you to look at me as “less than.” That causes me to look at you and be afraid. ”

Secondly, I want to thank you for all for coming out and standing for this cause. This is something that is near and dear to my heart. Not just because I’m a Black woman in America, not just because I’m a Black mother in America, but for four of my five children you see standing right here today.

And thank you to my sister who just spoke, thank you for sharing some - you said it so eloquently, so beautifully. But I want to say something else, too. My white brothers and sisters, and yes, I’m using the words “brothers and sisters.” The reason why is because I need us to tear down these walls of separation that have been built in this country for almost 500 years that causes you to look at me as “less than.” That causes me to look at you and be afraid.

Because believe it or not, as a black woman in this country, when I walk down the street, I see a group of white people, sorry, but I feel scared. You know why I’m scared? Because I know that SOME, not ALL, SOME white people don’t see me as the human being, as the beautiful person I am. It doesn’t matter how many degrees I have, it doesn’t matter how many businesses I’ve started, it doesn’t matter how many people I have helped, it doesn’t matter the character and the depth of my heart and my soul. Some people literally cannot get past this skin suit that I am wearing. And their head is filed with biases that have been passed down, taught and caught. Right? Because we have biases that are caught by people.

“Posting up black squares on Instagram and Facebook? Okay, that’s cute. That’s good, that’s cute. That’s cute. But have you addressed your family members that make racist jokes? You might have the uncomfortable laughter but do you address them? Do you tell them “Not on my watch?””

Your parents may not tell you, “Oh, she’s Black, she’s less than.” “He’s Black. Be scared of him.” But their actions show it, and we catch it. And Imma challenge you today, my brothers and my sisters, to let go of any of those biases that you may have caught. And don’t be afraid to admit it! It’s absolutely okay, because you grew up in this country, to hold up a mirror, and I mean that hypothetically speaking, to hold up a mirror, and to get uncomfortable, and to inconvenience yourself and say “You know what? I have privilege.”

And you know why it’s okay to say that? Because once you address and uncover and acknowledge what is really there? That’s the only time you can change it. And your having privilege doesn’t make you less than of a human being, right? Your privilege doesn’t make you less than. What is the issue, is when you have that privilege and you’re so comfortable in it, that you’re fine with superficial signs of support rather than taking the action.

Posting up black squares on Instagram and Facebook? Okay, that’s cute. That’s good, that’s cute. That’s cute. But have you addressed your family members that make racist jokes? You might have the uncomfortable laughter but do you address them? Do you tell them “Not on my watch?” Do you tell them it’s not funny? Do you educate them on the true history of this country?

And if you have not done that, this is the time to start, now. And it’s not just about you holding a sign “it stops with the cops.” Right? That’s only concerning police brutality. But it also stops in your homes. It stops in the schools. Because a racist is a racist no matter what uniform they’re wearing.

So I wanna leave you with this, because yes, Black lives matter. And I had some conversations this week. They don’t like to hear “Black Lives Matter.” They wanna say all lives matter. But if all lives matter, then it shouldn’t be a problem with you saying what?

(Crowd: BLACK LIVES MATTER!)

“I don’t wanna be scared when my children are 16, 17, 18. And I don’t have the joy that you might share in buying my children their first car because I’m scared they’re not gonna come home. Not from car accidents. I’m scared they’re not gonna come home cause someone won’t see them as a human being driving a vehicle.”

Exactly. So I just wanna challenge everyone here, again, if you don’t look like me, thank you for your love, thank you for your support. But I wanna let you know, how you can support us is by getting uncomfortable, inconveniencing yourself, taking the lid off the white washed Eurocentric history that’s taught in this country and get to the truth. Because the truth, indeed, will not only set you free. The truth, indeed, I’m sorry, it makes me angry, but with that anger comes action, with action, comes change. (applause)

I don’t wanna be scared when my children are 16, 17, 18. And I don’t have the joy that you might share in buying my children their first car because I’m scared they’re not gonna come home. Not from car accidents. I’m scared they’re not gonna come home cause someone won’t see them as a human being driving a vehicle. So that’s the change that I’m looking for. It starts in our schools. It starts in our homes. It starts with your neighbors. It starts with your family. So stand up, stand tall, get uncomfortable, get inconvenienced, but again, anger from the truth brings action, and action brings? (Crowd CHANGE!).

Action brings? (Crowd CHANGE!)

Action brings? (Crowd CHANGE!)

Don’t let it stop here, y’all.

Speaker Speaking Out During Black Lives Matter Protest: "I Want To Speak Towards The Feeling Of Not Looking Us In The Eye"

The speaker of Story #1. If this is you, and you want to identify yourself here, please let us know and we will add your name.

This speaker is sharing during the 3rd protest march on Beacon that happened on June 6, 2020. The march started at Pohill Park, wound all the way down Wolcott, taking a right toward the river, over the bridge above the train track, and ending at the land stage at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park.

To bring this story out of the video and into words for more to access, A Little Beacon Blog has transcribed this story as best we can, as close to the spoken word as possible. To give you context, we indicate where different actions took place, like applause or movement. We highly encourage you to watch this spoken in the video, so that you can feel the moment and the words and remember it forever as it helps you make future decisions. You can listen and watch this story in our Instagram here.

We do not know this person’s name. If this is you and you want to be identified, please let us know and we will add your name.

BEGIN
Story #1

(story had started…this is when our video footage started…we do not have the beginning of the story)

If I go down, we both go down.

(Applause)

And I just want that to be heard here in my home town. Because I know that we are a beautiful and diverse community here. And I know when I walk down these streets I could look people in the eye and that is a privilege I have here, in this town, in Beacon. And it’s not a privilege that many other towns, not even in the Hudson Valley, get to share. And I know this only because I’ve lived in other places in the Hudson valley. I’ve lived in Poughkeepsie. I’ve lived in Newburgh. I now live in Ulster County, and it’s not the same, y’all. It is not.

And I just also…I want to speak towards the traumatization that we feel right now in this moment, the universal feelings that we’re all struggling with. And those feelings are really important to try to understand why. Even as a colored person, or Black person, or an indigenous person, or a white person. Why do I feel…”answer the blank.” Why do I feel sad? Why do I feel ashamed? Why do I feel guilt? Why do I feel anger? And we need to find a better way to challenge those feelings to talk to one another. Because I also realize that even as a brown person, I’m fucking angry. But that does not give me the right to scream at somebody else who’s trying to be a part of this movement who might not share my skin.

I also lastly want to speak to white people. I’m in an interracial relationship. I know how tough it is. I know it’s tough when you don’t know what to do. I’ve heard it. I know it’s tough when you didn’t put those thoughts in (her/your) head. I know it’s tough walking into someplace unfamiliar and you have no idea what you’re doing. But you go towards it because you know it’s probably the right thing, because it’s what your friends told you to do and you just want to show up.

“You do not look at the faces of our beautiful black men and women. You do not recognize them as a whole society. So when you’re walking down the street, instead of thinking, “let me avoid this person’s face,” why not humanize them? Look them in the eye. You’ll realize that sometimes you might get a smile. Sometimes you might get a “hey, hello.” ”

But I want to speak towards the feeling of not looking us in the eye, because even in the Hudson Valley, New York City, wherever you go - I’ve experienced this a lot in Poughkeepsie and Newburgh. You do NOT look at the faces of our beautiful black men and women. You do not recognize them as a whole society. So when you’re walking down the street, instead of thinking, “let me avoid this person’s face,” why not humanize them? Look them in the eye. You’ll realize that sometimes you might get a smile. Sometimes you might get a “hey, hello.”

Black people are not criminals. So stop avoiding their faces, their emotions, their eyes when they walk past you. They’re not there to jump you, to be a criminal towards you, to harass you. None of that. I’m not taking that no more.